--- title: "The Menu: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-menu/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-menu" critics_score: 66 critics_reviews: 29 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Menu (2022): what the critics said Critics' score 66 from 29 reviews: 16 positive, 11 mixed, 2 negative. ## Variety — Owen Gleiberman Rating Critics Pick. 16 September 2022. Festival review. Gleiberman finds the film a hilariously sharp thriller and satire of high-end foodie culture. He praises the performances of Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy, as well as the director’s elegant, ice-cold staging. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2022/film/reviews/the-menu-review-ralph-fiennes-anya-taylor-joy-1235374185/) ## The AV Club — Tomris Laffly Rating B+. 17 November 2022. Laffly finds the film fiendishly delightful, an entertaining and familiar eat-the-rich satire. She praises its sharply observed dining-room comedy and Peter Deming’s cinematography, which heightens the class tension. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/menu-review-anya-taylor-joy-ralph-fiennes-1849790841) ## Vulture — Alison Willmore Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 18 November 2022. Willmore finds the film a satisfying, darkly funny satire that avoids glibness and leaves viewers feeling trapped in its doomed setup. She singles out Ralph Fiennes’s performance and the film’s sympathy for the kitchen staff as especially effective. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/the-menu-review-a-deliciously-mean-satire.html) ## Los Angeles Times — Katie Walsh Fi1m's normalised score 78/100 (inferred from the text). 16 November 2022. Walsh finds the film a satisfying, darkly humorous satire of artists and the forces that consume their work. She praises the flawless acting, crisp cinematography and unsettling score, while noting the ending may jump the shark. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2022-11-16/review-menu-satire-ralph-fiennes-anya-taylor-joy-nicholas-hoult) ## IndieWire — Christian Blauvelt Rating B. 11 September 2022. Festival review. The critic finds the film gripping and attentive to genre, though its characters and broader indictment feel underdeveloped. Anya Taylor-Joy’s arresting, multidimensional performance stands out for praise. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/the-menu-review-anya-taylor-joy-ralph-fiennes-1234761056/) ## The Guardian — Benjamin Lee Rating B. 11 September 2022. Festival review. Lee calls the film a fun but ultimately undercooked satire, whose mystery loses force as it unfolds. He praises the performances, especially Hong Chau’s, and the sharply observed absurdities of fine dining. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/sep/11/the-menu-review-darkly-comic-foodie-thriller) ## Sight and Sound — BFI Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 20 November 2022. The review finds the film an unsettling, incisive story about class inequality and artistic judgment. It particularly praises the sharp observations of entitlement and the way the dinner becomes a confrontation between artist and audience. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/menu-tense-tale-slow-cooked-revenge) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Lovia Gyarkye Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 11 September 2022. Festival review. Gyarkye finds the film an amusing, stylish dark comedy, though its class commentary is less subtle than it promises. She especially praises the scenes showing the staff’s meticulous process of creating and presenting each dish. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/the-menu-anya-taylor-joy-ralph-fiennes-nicholas-hoult-mark-mylod-1235216647/) ## Time Out — Time Out İstanbul editörleri Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 7 November 2022. The page identifies the film as an intriguing upcoming release, but offers no accessible critic verdict. It gives no specific praise or complaint about the film. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/tr/film/the-menu-2022) ## RogerEbert.com Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page did not load, so its verdict cannot be determined. No praise or complaint from the critic was available to assess. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-menu-movie-review-2022) ## Screen Daily — Wendy Ide Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 11 September 2022. Festival review. The accessible page identifies this as a Toronto review, but the review itself is behind a paywall. Its verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be determined from the available text. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-menu-toronto-review/5174339.article) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 17 November 2022. The page content is inaccessible, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. No specific praise or complaint can be verified from the available text. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/17/movies/the-menu-review.html) ## Radio Times — Max Copeman Rating 3/5. The review gives the film 3/5, a middling rating. Its available text highlights the black comedy’s aim at the one per cent and its privileged diners. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-geh4at/the-menu/) ## The i Paper — Francesca Steele Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 18 November 2022. Steele finds the film entertaining and deliciously gory, but says its twist fails to land. She praises Ralph Fiennes’s imperious performance and the cast, while faulting the tonal shift toward gravitas. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/the-menu-review-anya-taylor-joy-satire-deliciously-gory-but-doesnt-pull-off-twist-1972564) ## Slant Magazine — Wes Greene Rating 2/4. 13 November 2022. Greene finds the satire increasingly hollow and the film’s premise ultimately underdelivered. He praises the gallows humor in some horror sequences, especially the early “The Mess” course. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-menu-review-ralph-fiennes-anya-taylor-joy/) ## Empire — Siddhant Adlakha Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 15 November 2022. The critic finds the film entertaining but not consistently thrilling, with its tension fading when it should peak. Fiennes’s magnetic performance stands out, while the plot’s abrupt, loosely assembled escalations draw criticism. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/the-menu/) ## Little White Lies — David Jenkins Rating 4/1/1. 16 November 2022. Jenkins finds the film smug, cynical and conceptually overwrought. He singles out its one-dimensional characters and implausible setup as key weaknesses. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/the-menu) ## Paste — Matthew Jackson Rating 9.5. 18 November 2022. Festival review. Jackson calls the film a deeply satisfying blend of dark comedy, violence, and genre fun. He especially praises the performances of Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Hong Chau. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/anya-taylor-joy/the-menu-review) ## Film Stories — Lauren Miles Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 17 November 2022. The critic finds the film a tense, unpredictable, and genuinely amusing thriller. She particularly praises the ensemble performances and the striking cinematography of the food and kitchen. [Read the review](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/the-menu-review-strange-things-are-happening-in-ralph-fiennes-kitchen/) ## Digital Spy — Ian Sandwell Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 14 November 2022. The critic finds the film a darkly funny, often shocking black comedy that keeps viewers on edge. He especially praises its twists and Anya Taylor-Joy’s sharp performance. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a41949831/the-menu-review-anya-taylor-joy-nicholas-hoult/) ## Eye for Film — Andrew Robertson Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 30 December 2022. Robertson finds the film a delight, praising its playful blend of creativity and dark comedy. He singles out its technical flair and obsessive attention to detail. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-menu-2022-film-review-by-andrew-robertson) ## Polygon — Tasha Robinson Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 19 November 2022. Festival review. The critic finds the film an intriguing, darkly funny thriller that avoids becoming a simple eat-the-rich morality tale, though some motives and tonal choices weaken it. The performances, especially Ralph Fiennes’s unsettling turn, and the striking production design stand out for praise. [Read the review](https://www.polygon.com/reviews/23373306/the-menu-review-ralph-fiennes-anya-taylor-joy/) ## The Wrap — William Bibbiani Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 17 November 2022. The critic finds the film a diabolically odd, satisfying horror comedy with dark humor that steadily builds. Ralph Fiennes earns particular praise for playing Chef Slowik with sincerity, sadness, and wit. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/the-menu-film-review-ralph-fiennes-anya-taylor-joy/) ## Deadline — Valerie Complex Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 11 September 2022. Festival review. The critic finds the film an unnerving, enjoyable satire with a strong ensemble. They especially praise Hong Chau’s performance and the precise, forceful sound design. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2022/09/toronto-review-mark-mylods-psychological-1235114831/) ## Den of Geek — Don Kaye Rating 3.5/5. 18 November 2022. The critic finds the black comedy entertaining despite an overextended climax and somewhat obvious metaphors. He praises the stars, especially Ralph Fiennes, and the film’s tonal control. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-menu-ralph-fiennes-anya-taylor-joy-serve-black-comedy/) ## /Film — Chris Evangelista Rating 7/10. 11 September 2022. Festival review. The film is a gloriously twisted, entertaining experience, though it lags and leaves some setups unresolved. Ralph Fiennes’s sinister, pitch-perfect performance is the main reason it works. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/1002746/the-menu-review-ralph-fiennes-serves-up-a-delightfully-wicked-feast-tiff/) ## The Ringer — Alison Herman Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 18 November 2022. Herman finds the film entertaining, though its competing critiques and shifting tone do not always cohere. She praises its precise dining-room details and striking setpieces, while faulting its ideas for biting off more than they can chew. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2022/11/18/movies/the-menu-review-movie-anya-taylor-joy-ralph-fiennes) ## Collider — Chase Hutchinson Rating C. 11 September 2022. Festival review. The critic finds the thriller repetitive, tiresome, and too toothless to deliver its intended satire. They praise Ralph Fiennes’s menacing performance, but say it cannot make up for the film’s weak writing and lack of direction. [Read the review](https://collider.com/the-menu-review-anya-taylor-joy-ralph-fiennes/) ## The Playlist Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). Festival review. The headline indicates a negative verdict, saying the film’s class critiques fall short. It singles out those critiques as the main complaint. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/the-menu-review-foodie-black-comedys-condescending-class-critiques-dont-cut-the-mustard-tiff-20220913/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-menu.md